The Department of Defense
announced Wednesday a comprehensive plan to eliminate the current use of stop
loss, while retaining the authority for future use under extraordinary
circumstances. This is an important step along the path in adapting the Army
into an expeditionary force.

The Army Reserve and Army
National Guard will mobilize units without employing stop loss beginning in
August and September 2009, respectively. The Regular (active duty) Army will
deploy its first unit without Stop Loss by January 2010.

For Soldiers stop lossed
during fiscal 2009, the department will provide a monthly payment of $500. Until
the department is able to eliminate stop loss altogether, this payment will
serve as an interim measure to help mitigate its effects.

"Stop Loss disrupts the plans
of those who have served their intended obligation. As such, it is employed only
when necessary to ensure minimal staffing in deploying units, when needed to
ensure safe and effective unit performance," said Bill Carr, deputy under
secretary of defense for military personnel policy. "It is more easily
rationalized in the early stages of conflict when events are most dynamic; but
tempo changes in this war have frustrated our efforts to end it altogether."

The
department intends to provide Stop Loss Special Pay to eligible service members
until the point of separation or retirement, to include that time spent on
active duty in recovery following redeployment. Stop Loss Special Pay will begin
on the date of implementation and will take effect for those impacted on or
after Oct. 1, 2008.